Yarn twisting apparatus



July 1, 1958 A. D. HARMON 'YARN TWISTING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 74627; i. I/Md/V July 1, 1958 Filed April 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i INVENTOR. A .ag-zrfl ,m Ma/v WZ KM United States Patent YARN TWISTING APPARATUS Albert D. Harmon, Pendleton, S. C., assignor to Deering Milliken Research Corporation, near Pendleton, eonee County, S. C., a corporation of Delaware Application April 29, 1955, Serial No. 504,889

11 Claims. (Cl. 57-58.33)

This invention relates. to yarn twisting apparatus of the outflow type adapted. to insert two turns of twist in a running length of yarn or the like for each revolution of the spindle and more particularly the invention relates to yarn twisting apparatus embodying improved yarn control means.

Two-for-one twisters of the out-flow type are well known in the art and generally comprise a rotatable spindle supporting a normally non-rotating platform which in turn is'zprovidcd with a cylindrical member for centrally supporting a. yarn bobbin or the like. i The cylindrical member, in addition to holding the yarn supply, conventionally serves asa housing for a tension regulating means and as a support for an annular guide positioned on the unsupported end of the member. The spindle is coustructedto receive ayarn end passed from the bobbin or thelike through the annular guide and through a yarn passageway in the cylindrical member and to rotate the strand of yarn in the form of a yarn balloon between a flyer or the like carried by the spindle and an apex guide positioned on. the extended axis of rotation of the spindle.

A two-for-one twister, such as described above, has many advantages, the primary one of which is that it results in two turns of twist being inserted into the yarn for each revolution of the spindle, but up until the time of the present invention, such twisters have also had the severe disadvantage that yarn control is much more difficult than with conventional one-for-one twisters. When a. yarn end breaks in a two-for-one twisting device such as described above, the yarn continues to be fed from the spindle because of centrifugal force and unless means are provided for stopping this flow of yarn, the broken end or tail is whipped against adjacent supporting structures. This whipping of the broken yarn end and the continued feeding of the yarn causes short lengths of yarn to be broken from the tail and these short lengths are. blown into adjacent units of the frame and catch in the balloons thereof causing additional yarn breaks. Numerous attempts have been made to solve the problem ofv yarn control in two-for-one twisters and, in fact, apparatus for stopping the flow of the yarn from the spindle when an. end breaks is well known and described in anyone of several U. S. patents but while the prior art devices are capable of stopping the flow of yarn, they are not completely satisfactory in other respects.

The prior art devices for controlling the yarn flow when an end breaks have. generally comprised, in each instance, a device on or within the rotating spindle which catches the broken end and prevents it being fed from the spindle by centrifugal force, but such an arrangement creates an entirely new problem. When the flow of yarn is stopped at the point where it enters the balloon from the spindle, the length of yarn between the spindle and the supply package continues to be twisted as a result of the rotation of the spindle. With many types of yarn this is not a serious disadvantage since the yarn end is simply twisted until it breaks between the spindle and the tensioning de- Vice positioned within the cylindrical support on the sta- 2,846,979 iatented July 1, 1958 FQQ tionary platform, but with certain types and sizes of yarns, the tensioning device must be adjusted, for satisfactory operation of the twister, to impart so little tension that the yarn end does not break at his point. When this happens, the stresses created by the twisting of the yarn are compensated for by the feeding into the central support of additional yarn from the supply package. If this is allowed to continue for more than a very short period of time, suflicient yarn is drawn within the cylin drical support member to fill every available space not occupied by the tensioning device and the other structure within the cylindrical member and, in fact, the highly twisted yarn packs into the cylindrical member so tightly that it is impossible to remove the same without completely dismantling the twisting apparatus and the tensioning device within the cylindrical support. Inasmuch as it is impossible for an attendant to observe each spindle so closely that he notices every yarn break within a few seconds after its occurrence, it can be seen that this disadvantage prevents the two-for-one twisting devices of the prior art from being employed with many yarns for which they would otherwise be eminently suited.

A further disadvantage of the prior art devices for yarn control is that they generally require a considerable number of delicate parts which materially add to the expense of manufacturing. the twisting apparatus. Still another disadvantage of prior art devices for yarn control is that they, inmost instances, require at least part of their elements to be carried by the rotating spindle. This makes balancing of the spindle very difficult and limits the possibilities of mass production.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a spindle embodying yarn control means which overcomes. the disadvantages of the prior art and prevents the yarn from feeding into the cylindrical support memher eventhough the yarn is of the type which requires a very low tension to be imparted thereto by the tension control means carried within the cylindrical support memher.

It is another object of this invention to provide yarn twisting apparatus with yarn control means which automatically prevents additional yarn from being fed from the bobbin or supply means when the yarn breaks, for example, in the balloon.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a yarn control means for two-for-one spindles that can be employed with existing spindles having conventional yarn control means without removal of the latter or without extensive modification of the twisting apparatus.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a yarn control means which requires that none of its elements be carried by the rapidly rotating spindle so that rebalancing of the same to prevent vibbration is unnecessary.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a yarn control means, for two-for-one twisting apparatus, which is extremely simple in design and construction.

These as well as other objects of the invention are accomplished by the combination with a twisting apparatus including a rotatable spindle means, a normally nonrotating cylindrical member for centrally supporting a yarn supply means, said cylindrical member being carried by said spindle means, an annular yarn guide means carried by the unsupported end of the cylindrical member, an

' apex guide positioned on the extended axis of rotation of the spindle means, said spindle means being adapted to receive a yarn end passed from said supply means through said annular guide means and to rotate the same in the form of a yarn balloon, and take-up means to withdraw the yarn from said balloon through said apex guide; of sensing means to determine the presence of a tensioned yarn; end between said apex guide and said take-up means,

movable yarn snaring means normally positioned outside the yarn path and means responsive to said sensing means for moving the yarn snaring means into the yarn path between the supply means and the annular guide When the sensing means determines the absence of a tensioned yarn end between the apex guide and the take-up means.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away and in section, of a two-for-one twisting apparatus embodying the new yarn control means.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the improved yarn control means illustrating the top of a spindle assembly in cross section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken through line 3, 3' in Figure 2 and illustrates the snaring means in detail.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the reference numeral generally indicates a spindle array designed to be mounted on the spindle rail of a twister frame. The spindle array comprises a rotatable spindle 11 with a whorl portion, partially visible at 12, which is designed to be positioned against a moving belt (not illustrated) for rotation of the spindle. The upper portion of the spindle 11 is provided with an axial passageway 14 terminating in an orifice 16 located in the side of the spindle immediately above the whorl portion 12. Carried by spindle 11 and adapted for rotation with respect thereto by virtue of a ball bearing or the like, 17 is a platform, partially visible at the reference numeral 18. Means comprising an eccentrically positioned weight or a magnet acting upon the platform or part of the structure supported thereby, is conventionally provided for preventing rotation of the platform during operation of the spindle.

Carried by the platform 18 and extending at approximately right angles to the surface thereof is a cylindrical member 20 adapted to serve as a central support for a yarn bobbin 21 or the like placed thereover and with its base resting upon platform 18. The cylindrical member 20 also serves as a housing for a yarn tension regulator, partially visible at 22 and as a support for an annular yarn guide or cap indicated by the reference numeral 23.

The yarn supply package 21 is illustrated as being positioned over the cylindrical support member 20 and carries a supply of yarn indicated by the reference numeral 24 in the drawings. The cylindrical support member 20 has an internal yarn passageway to receive an end of yarn 25 passed through the annular guide 23 from package 21. From the passage in cylindrical member 20, the yarn passes through the axial passage 14 of spindle 11 and through orifice 16.

The spindle 11 is provided with a conventional yarn storage device 26 and a disc-shaped fiyer 27 for rotating the strand of yarn in the form of a balloon between the yarn storage device 26 and an apex guide indicated by the reference numeral 28. The yarn is withdrawn from the yarn balloon through apex guide 28 and a second guide 29 by a conventional take-up means shown schematically at 30.

The parts of the twisting apparatus described thus far can be conventional and will, therefore, not be discussed in detail in this specification. For further information, reference may be had to U. S. Patent 2,597,015, U. S. Patent 2.625,789 or U. S. application S. N. 244,812, filed September 1, 1951, by Norman E. Klein.

Secured to a suitable frame member 32 by any suitable means, such as by screw 33, is a bracket 34 for supporting the novel yarn control means of this invention, generally indicated by the reference numeral 36 in Figure l of the drawings. The bracket 34 is provided with a support arm 38 hinged at 48 so that the structure supported thereby can, if desired, be pivoted upwardly and away from the spindle array. In this instance, the bracket 34 is also illustrated as supporting the apex guide 28 by means of an L-shaped arm 42 which is capable of being rotated about a vertical axis so that the guide 28 can be moved horizontally for access to the spindle array 10 and for proper positioning.

The arm 38 also carries a short shaft 44 disposed in a generally horizontal plane but at right angles to the arm 38. Journaled eccentrically about shaft 44 is a rectangular weight 46 made of bronze or other heavy metal and bored to receive an elongated arm member generally indicated by the reference numeral 48. The upper portion of arm member 48 is formed into a yarn engaging element 50 which acts as a yarn sensing means and is adapted to contact a tensioned yarn end passing from apex guide 28 to take-up means 30. The lower end of arm member 48 has an extending section 51, positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis of arm 48, which carries on its unsupported end a pair of hook members generally indicated by the reference numeral 52 (see Figure 3 of the drawings). The hook members 52 are operably disposed in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spindle 11 and serve as yarn snaring means in a manner to be subsequently described.

By positioning the pivot axis of arm 48 to one side of the longitudinal axis thereof and eccentrically mounting weight 46 with respect to shaft 44, the arm 48 is urged to rotate by the force of gravity in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 and Figure 2 of the drawings. A smallmagnet 54 is secured by means of a screw 56 to bracket 34 and is positioned immediately below hinge 40. If arm 48 is formed of a magnetically permeable material, magnet 54 serves the purpose of holding the arm 48 againstrotation when the arm is rotated to a maximum extent in a counterclockwise direction.

The spindle array 10 is illustrated as being provided with a suitable cover 60 to protect the structure supported by platform 18 from lint and the like. The cover 60 differs from covers of this type conventionally employed for two-for-one twisting arrangements in that it is provided with a small orifice at 62 which is aligned with the extension Sland permits it to be inserted inside of the cover upon clockwise rotation of arm 48.

In operation, a yarn end from supply package 21 is threaded through the annular guide member 23, through the tension regulating means 22 through the axial passage 14 and out orifice 16. For this threading operation a flexible threading tool or snake can conveniently be employed. The yarn end is then led around the discshaped fiyer 27 through apex guide 28 and to take-up means 30. During this operation it is generally convenient to rotate arm 48 counterclockwise until it is held by magnet 54 so that the snaring means 52 does not interfere with the yarn being fed from supply package 21. The cover 60 is then placed in position with the orifice 62 properly aligned with respect to extension 51 and apex guide 28 is carefully positioned over the apex of the cover if it has been displaced for the threading operation. Arm 48 is then rotated against the action of magnet 54 until the yarn engaging member 50 contacts the yarn and is prevented from rotating further by the tensioned yarn end, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The spindle is then placed in operation.

If a yarn end should break so that arm 48 is no longer restrained from rotation by contact of member 50 with the tensioned yarn end, the arm 48 is caused to rotate by the force of gravity to assume the position. indicated by broken lines in Figure 2, thereby moving yarn snaring hooks 52 through the orifice 62 into the path of the yarn between the yarn supply package 21 and the annular guide member 23. If additional yarn is unwound from the supply package 21, the yarn end is caught by one or the other of the hook means 52, depending upon which way the yarn is wound on the package. This effectively prevents additional yarn from being unwound so that it is impossible for the yarn to be fed out of orifice 16 by centrifugal force or impossible for the yarn to be drawn into the cylindrical member 20 as a result of excess twist being inserted therein by the continued rotation of spindle 11. If the yarn break is not noticed and spindle 11 is allowed to continue rotation for any appreciable period of time, the yarn tail is either drawn back through orifice 16 into passageway 14 against the action of the centrifugal force acting thereon or else the yarn is twisted until breakage occurs at some point between the orifice 16 and the annular guide 23, in which case the tail is thrown clear of the spindle by centrifugal force. In either case, rethreading of the apparatus is a simple operation uncomplicated by a collection of twisted yarn within the cylindrical support member 20 and the vicinity of the spindle is retained substantially free of short lengths of broken yarn or lint.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination which comprises a rotatable spindle means, a normally non-rotating support means, carri'ed by said spindle means, for supporting a yarn supply package, an annular yarn guide means carried by said support means, an apex guide positioned on the extended axis of rotation of said spindle means, said spindle means being adapted to receive a yarn end passed from said supply package through said annular guide means and to rotate the same in the form of a yarn balloon about said supply package with said apex guide position at the apex of said balloon, take-up means to withdraw the yarn from said balloon through said apex guide, sensing means to determine the presence of a tensioned yarn end between said apex guide and said takeup means, movable yarn snaring means normally positioned to permit the passage of yarn from saidsupply package to said take-up means, and means responsive to said sensing means for moving said yarn snaring means into the path of an end of yarn passing from said yarn supply package to said annular guide means when said sensing means determines the absence of a tensioned yarn end between said apex guide and said yarn take-up means.

2. A combination according to claim 1 wherein said yarn sensing means comprises a member urged to move laterally with respect to the tensioned yarn end, said member being restrained from lateral movement by contact with the yarn under tension.

3. A combination according to claim 2 wherein said yarn snaring means comprises a pair of hooks, said hooks, in each instance, being 'operatively positioned in a plane generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said spindle means.

4. A combination according to claim 2 wherein said means responsive to said sensing means comprises an elongated arm pivoted at a point intermediate the two ends thereof and means urging said arm to pivot to thereby bring said snaring means into operative position.

5. A combination according to claim 4 wherein said urging means comprises a weight positioned eccentrically with respect to the pivotal axis of said arm.

6. A combination according to claim 1 including a cover means, operatively positioned within the yarn balloon, to enclose said yarn supply package, and annular guide, said cover means having an opening positioned to admit said yarn snaring means.

7. A two-for-one twisting apparatus including a rotatable spindle means, a normally non-rotating yarn package support means carried by said spindle means, an annular yarn guide carried by said package support means and positioned to receive a yarn end as it is unwound from a supply package carried by said package support means, an apex guide positioned on the extended axis of rotation of said spindle means, yarn take-up means to withdraw the yarn end through said apex guide from a yarn balloon created by the rotation of said spindle means; and movable yarn snaring means normally positioned to permit the passage of yarn from said supply package to said take-up means, and means for moving said snaring means into the path of an end of yarn passing from said supply package to said annular guide when a tensioned yarn end is not present between said apex guide and said yarn take-up means.

8. The combination with a two-for-one yarn twisting apparatus including a rotatable spindle means, a normally non-rotatable yarn package support means, an annular yarn guide carried by said package support means and positioned to receive a yarn'end as it is unwound from a yarn supply carried by said package support means, an apex guide positioned on the extended axis of rotation of said spindle means, and yarn take-up means to withdraw the yarn end through said apex guide from a yarn balloon created. by the rotation of said spindle means; of a cover means to enclose said yarn supply and said annular yarn guide, an elongated arm capable of pivotal movement, said arm having an extension on one end thereof disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said arm and said extension having hook means adjacent the end thereof, means urging said arm to pivot such that said hook means enters the path of an end of yarn passing from said yarn supply to said annular guide, said cover being provided with an orifice to permit entry of said extension, and means normally restraining the pivoting of said arm when a tensioned yarn end is present between said apex guide and said take-up means.

9. Improved yarn control means for a twisting apparatus including a rotatable spindle means, a normally non-rotatable cylindrical member, carried by said spindle means, to serve as a center support for a yarn supply bobbin, yarn guide means positioned on one end of said cylindrical member to guide an end of yarn, from a supply package placed over said cylindrical member, into a yarn passageway through said cylindrical member and to said spindle means, apex guide means positioned on the extended axis of rotation of said spindle means, said spindle means being adapted to receive the yarn end from the passageway in said cylindrical member and to rotate the yarn about said supply package in the form of a balloon with said apex guide positioned at the apex of the yarn balloon, and yarn take-up means to withdraw the yarn from said balloon through said apex guide, said improved yarn control means comprising a yarn sensing means to determine the presence of a yarn end between said apex guide and said yarn take-up means, movable yarn snaring means normally positioned to permit the free passage of an end of yarn from said supply package to said takeup means, and means responsive to said sensing means for moving said yarn snaring means into the path of an end of yarn passing from said supply bobbin to the yarn guide means carried by said cylindrical member when said sensing means determines the absence of a tensioned yarn end between said apex guide and said yarn take-up means.

10. Improved yarn control means for a two-for-one twisting apparatus including a rotatable spindle means, a normally non-rotatable yarn package support means including a cylindrical member for centrally supporting a yarn supply package, a yarn guide, carried by said cylindrical member, to guide a yarn end, from a yarn package placed over said cylindrical member, through said cylindrical member to said spindle means, an apex guide positioned on the extended axis of rotation of said spindle means, and yarn take-up means to withdraw the yarn end through said apex guide from a yarn balloon created by the rotation of said spindle, said improved yarn control means comprising an elongated arm pivoted at a point intermediate the two ends thereof, a yarn contacting member carried by one end of said arm and positioned to contact a yarn end passed under tension through said apex guide to said take-up means, means urging rotation of said arm, said arm normally being restrained against rotation by contact of said yarn contacting member with the tensioned yarn end, and yarn engaging means carried by the end of said arm opposed to said first named end, said yarn engaging means being positioned to enter the path of an end of yarn passing from said supply package to the guide carried by said cylindrical member when said arm is rotated by said urging means.

11. Improved yarn control means for two-for-one twisting apparatus including a rotatable spindle means, a normally non-rotatable yarn package support means, an annular yarn guide carried by said package support means and positioned to receive 'a .yarn end as it is unwound from a yarn supply package carried by said package support means, an apex guide positioned on the extended axis of rotation of said spindle means, and yarn take-up means to Withdraw the yarn end through said apex guide from a yarn balloon created'by the rotation of said spindle means, said improved yarn control means comprising an elongated arm, a yarn engaging member carried by the upper end of said arm and positioned to engage a yarn end passing through said apex guide, pivot means supporting said arm at a point intermediate the two ends thereof, said pivot means being disposed to one side of the longitudinal axis of said arm so that said arm is urged to rotate by the force of gravity, said arm normally being restrained against rotation by the contact of said yarn engaging member with the tensioned yarn end, and a hook member carried by the lower end of said arm and so positioned that it enters the path of an end of yarn passing from said supply package to said annular guide upon rotation of said arm, whereby when said yarn end breaks between said spindle means and said take-up means, said arm rotates and said hook member engages the yarn between said supply package and said annular guide and thereby prevents additional yarn from being unwound from said supply package.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,435,667 Worth Feb. 10, 1948 2,482,654 Cochran et a1 Sept. 20, 1949 2,584,096 Thomas Ian. 29, 1952 2,706,883 Keen Apr. 26, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 487,763 Germany Dec. 18, 1929 

